
Nickel and Dimed
A New York Times Book Review 100 Notable Books for Nonfiction
A London Guardian Pick of Best Books of the 21st Century
This engrossing piece of undercover reportage has been a fixture on the New York Times bestseller list since its publication. With nearly a million copies in print, Nickel and Dimed is a modern classic that deftly portrays the plight of America’s working-class poor.
A successful author, Barbara Ehrenreich decides to see if she can scratch out a comfortable living in a blue-collar America obsessed with welfare “reform.” Her first job is waitressing, which pulls in a measly $2.43 an hour plus tips. She moves around the country, trying her hand as a maid, a nursing home assistant, and a Wal-Mart salesperson. What she discovers is a culture of desperation, where workers take multiple thankless jobs just to keep a roof overhead.
Often humorous and always illuminating, Nickel and Dimed is a remarkable exposé of the ugly flip side of the American dream.
Praise